Nafas Indonesia and DBS Foundation Launch White Paper on Air Pollution and Pneumonia in Jakarta Toddlers

Nafas Indonesia collaborated with DBS Foundation and University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Public Health (FKM UI) to launch a groundbreaking white paper entitled “Breath Interrupted Amidst Pollution: The Impact of PM2.5 on Pneumonia in Toddlers in Jakarta”, on Thursday (10/7/2025). Conducted in 2023 on ~275,000 children under five in 10 sub-districts in Jakarta, the study reveals alarming findings on the link between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution and an increase in cases of pneumonia in children under five in Jakarta.

Pneumonia in Toddlers

Pneumonia is referred to as a “silent killer” responsible for 14 percent of all deaths among children in the world, and claims more than 800,000 lives of children under 5 every year.

In Jakarta, the annual average of PM2.5 is 35-40 μg/m3–seven times higher than the annual safety threshold of 5 μg/m3 recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This study confirms that high concentrations of PM2.5 are strongly associated with an increase in the prevalence of pneumonia, putting thousands of children in Jakarta at serious health risk.

Key Findings

This study is the result of a cross-sector collaboration, combining real-time air quality data, epidemiological analysis, and public health perspectives. This initiative aims to promote data-driven policies, build public awareness, and deliver sustainable solutions for cleaner air and healthier communities. Some of the key findings of this white paper include:

• A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 is associated with a twofold increase in pneumonia prevalence among children under five in several subdistricts in Jakarta.
• One in every 20 children under five in Jakarta was diagnosed with pneumonia in 2023.
• Pneumonia cases tend to increase during the dry season to coincide with a surge in PM2.5 concentrations.

This initiative brings together diverse perspectives from various sectors–public health, air quality technology, and advocacy–to develop a thorough understanding of the impact of air pollution on children’s health and promote inclusive, collective action to address the issue.

CEO Nafas Indonesia Nathaniel Roestandy said, “This white paper shows that clean air is not only an environmental issue but also a very urgent public health issue. Our data-driven approach, combined with the academic rigour of FKM UI, and the support of DBS Foundation as a strategic partner, reinforces the urgency of the need to take immediate action to protect the health of our children.”

Clean Air for All

The integration of technology into this air pollution research was made possible by virtue of a grant from DBS Foundation that enabled cross-disciplinary collaboration to deal with the health challenges of air pollution in a measurable way. The launch of this white paper marked an important milestone in the ongoing partnership between Nafas Indonesia and DBS Foundation. Nafas Indonesia, an awardee of DBS Foundation Grant Program 2023, is an example of how social enterprises and impact businesses can leverage technology and collaboration to drive systemic change.

“Every citizen has the right to clean and healthy air. In line with DBS Foundation’s vision to meet the basic needs of vulnerable communities and foster inclusivity, Bank DBS Indonesia supports Nafas in its efforts to raise public awareness of better air quality. In this way, every child in Jakarta and across Indonesia will have the opportunity to lead a healthier and more prosperous life in the future,” said Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia Mona Monika.

Similar concerns are prevalent in the academic community. Professor at the Department of Environmental Health at the University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Public Health R. Budi Haryanto, emphasised that, “These findings confirm our long-held suspicion: air pollution is a major yet often overlooked contributor to respiratory infections in children. We hope this evidence serves as a strong basis for more strategic preventive measures and policy interventions that protect vulnerable groups, particularly children under five.”

Subscribe to Green Network Asia
Strengthen your personal and professional development with cross-sectoral insights on sustainability-related issues and sustainable development across the Asia Pacific and beyond.

Select Your Subscription Plan